‘Men Of Color Blog’ Calls Me Racist, And I Respond

Men Of Color Blog’s (sorry, no link!) Victor Hoff has written a post titled “The Sword Defends Cybersocket” after I published an article saying that Cybersocket wasn’t racist for writing up a list of their favorite porn stars that didn’t include black performers. I also said that the author of that list was entitled to his taste in porn stars, despite not being well-informed. I went on to say that, by their very nature, “lists” are almost always worthless. Did I defend Cybersocket from charges that their list was wrong? No. Did I defend Cybersocket from charges of racism? Yes.

And that, apparently, makes me a racist.

But what you are, Zach, is racially insensitive. In fact, you probably don’t even have the slightest idea why a list written by a leading gay porn trade publication about the top 40 stars…might be construed as racist or, at the very least, racially insensitive, do you?

Actually, I do have an idea as to why a list would be construed as racist by Victor Hoff of Men Of Color Blog, because that’s how he construes everything: Racist. That’s his thing. Based on his logic, everyone who didn’t vote for Barack Obama is a racist (even though many of them probably are). But let’s be clear, calling someone “racially insensitive” is a polite way of calling someone a racist (not to mention insensitive, which almost hurts even more), so say what you really mean! It makes things so much easier, even when you’re wrong.

To be sure, racism exists in nearly every aspect of our society, including porn. But, defending a list and a porn magazine from accusations of racism is not an act of insensitivity or racism no matter how many blog posts you write about it. Sorry. Did Victor Hoff contact Cybersocket and/or the list’s author, Christian Martere, and ask for a comment? Did he ask what the methodology was that went into creating the list? Did he ask them point blank if they were racists? Of course he didn’t. He just complained about them on his blog. It’s this sort of childish and reactionary rhetoric, laced with irresponsible name calling and race baiting, that makes MOC Blog’s angry little corner of the internet the kind of place where racism is actually allowed to thrive because it’s treated so carelessly. I encourage Victor Hoff to step away from his computer and to pick up a book.

That being said! I invite MOC Blog’s Victor Hoff to submit his list of the Top 40 men of color working in porn today, and I’ll publish it in full and unedited here. Rather than complaining about perceived problems (and this is not to say that there aren’t problems with porn studios not hiring enough ethnic models), why not take the opportunity to lead and show us your personal taste? Show us what we’re missing!

I’d write my own list, but there are only like four men of color in porn who I’m currently into.

28 thoughts on “‘Men Of Color Blog’ Calls Me Racist, And I Respond”

  1. I think the larger issue is self image. When an industry creates and ideal and those that feel marginalized for not meeting those standards. That is why you have such low self esteem and self hate. A perfect example the image of perfection that the fashion and Hollywood potray. That image is of young very thin white girls. This image has been the culprit for a lot of eating disorders, plastic surgery and skin bleaching.( ps there are a lot of ethnic woman that try to make it in the industry and can’t because they aren’t as desirable to the powers that be) this is the same sort of thing in the gay community. The phrase ” I am not attracted to black guys or Asians” is so freely tossed around. ( when was the last time you heard I am just not attracted to white guys?) what about the millions of people that feel less desirable to their white peers because of it. There needs to be a push in industry to break this image. One way to start is to not have a gayvn award ” best ethnic film” it perpetuates the idea that ethnic porn is somehow a fetish.

  2. I think there is a huge difference between being racist and being racially insensitive. I think a lot of white people (I’m white) are racially insensitive in that they could easily make lists that exclude people of color and be clueless about black culture. That doesn’t make them awful people, and it doesn’t make black people awful or overly sensitive to point it out. I think each person is obviously going to have his or her own tastes, and those tastes may not be very representative of the racial makeup of the country—that’s their experience, that’s what they’ve been exposed to, that’s their taste. But I don’t think it’s unfair to ask for an even-handed approach from a publication or site that is not a personal blog but is looked on as more inclusive. It’s actually a compliment because it means more than just one niche is looking at the site and wants in on the action. I do think it’s off-putting to be called a racist or to have issues of race brought up; white people DO NOT want to hear it and sometimes the conversation begins with anger and accusations. It bothers me a lot when gay people of color snarkily talk about gay culture being skewed so white, but it bothers me even more that they’re often right.

    P.S. Orlando—I liked your first post but I think your logic in the second post is faulty. You seem to be arguing that whites exclusively want white performers and blacks exclusively want blacks. I seem to recall a lot of the South is skewed heavily toward interracial porn and black performers. I just can’t imagine why… :0)

  3. Some people are taking this to heart and too seriously.

    The reason those ‘mixed’ bars were preferable because the patrons wanted to be in a ‘mix’ environment– why would anyone want to care about those other bars where patrons want to be with their own groups…. I mean why should you care, especially since those people don’t care about you!

    Again. It seems people are take something subjective as taste and/or sexual attractiveness for which there is no true standard or rankings for– and take it as a rejection. There is no standard of beauty– and if there is, its just as subjective as the trends that are currently taking place with culture. Trends and fads come and go.

    FINAL THOUGHT: Rankings and or awards are marketing ploys– to get people interested in the porn those people star in; did any of you stop to think the person in charge of the list or ranking might have some money invested in those models or videos they work in? Lists are not facts, they are just opinions.

  4. larger population of whites=larger amount of consumers for productions.
    smaller black population=smaller amount of consumers for productions.

    its not preference, nobody is keeping the black man down– the demand is greater for white models since the majority of audience is white.

    You want to change this– create you own productions to get more blacks active in porn.

  5. As a man of color living in NYC, I was disappointed in ”the list”, but whatever. I’m not surprised. I’ve lived in NYC for ten years and have visited many bars/clubs geared toward white, black, latin, asian, all races, and other ethnic origins. The best/most memorable ones for my taste, being the ones that were mixed race. MOC’s blog and Tre are read by many people, and they are speaking for, well MOC. One would think that this ”list” could have included a top black, latin, AND asian gay porn star. BUT TIME AND TIME AGAIN in the largest city in NYC, NEXT magazine ALWAYS features white models on the cover, look at the SCENE/HEARD pictures in the back of NEXT and it generally highlights such a lack of diversity. I’ve grown some tough racial skin in this city, more-so within the gay community because of the constant ”LISTS” and media highlighting what’s the norm, what sells, or what moves a product; that being white skin.

    But it’s Cybersocket’s list, and they’re entitled to put on it whom they wants to. It’s just such a shame that this is the way of the gay community, consistently. I don’t always agree with MOC/Tre’s Blog, but i’m damn glad we have somebody raising a little hell in our defense…Because it continues to cater to the idea that white is the preferred race. They’re some hot, really hot asians, latinos, and yes, black porn actors out there.

  6. Another black man chiming in…

    Victor Hoff and Tre Xavier are self-absorbed idiots. The most recent proof is Xavier just posted a video on his blog boasting of his singing abilities. Absolutely awful. The guy is delusional.

  7. Chicago Gay? That was somewhat gibberish–I think he agreed. But only after accusing a white majority media portraying black ugliness. Which in today’s society, doesn’t make sense, since some of the most highly paid fashion models are black: Naomi Cambell being an example of a black person covered in ‘mainstream gay culture’. If you want to identify a ‘mainstream gay culture’ I think fashion is sufficiently more mainstream than porn. Its not a matter of culture or taste- I think its more about the amount of models per race. Not a lot of blacks are actively working to have a significant presence. Also, if we are to complain about the whole racial aspects of porn– I would think the concept of Gay-4-Pay is a toxic issue, way more then black representation in porn.

    But I try not to be an ‘asshole’ about the issue of g4p anymore because: I realize that if I don’t like the way porn is marketed or made– I should start my own productions that suit my needs instead. Create porn for my niche market that I’m in. Just sayin’

    Bottom line, Buddhists have a saying that is uniquely truthful, even outside of religious dogma: You can try to put pillows all over the world, but wouldn’t it be simpler to just put on some shoes instead?

    I think people are walking around with bare feet expecting everyone else to make the road a bigger issue then the problem of not putting on shoes— grow some thick skin.

  8. wow….I hate these kind of discussions.First because I don’t think that white gay will ever get where black gays are coming from.I am a black gay man and the list and your defense of it did not bother me because I don’t expect black people to be represented in mainstream gay culture.Like someone else wrote earlier there is a reason in most big cities there are black gay pride and a “regular one’.I don’t think people who are not attracted to black people are racist.I think we black gay should just create our own media that celebrate us.It’s not good for one’s self esteem for all the media that you see to say that you are ugly and unworthy.So no need to defend you self THE SWORD you did nothing wrong.

  9. Could you imagine sitting in a crowded movie theater with Tre Xavier or his lackey Victor Hoff?

    Tre to Victor: “Hey you yell Fire during the previews, then I’ll let you yell FIRE during the movie.”

    Victor: “Oh Tre, why didn’t I think of that of that. You’re so smart Tre.”

    Tre: “Thank you Victor. Stick with me Victor and you’ll go far.”

    Victor: “OK, let’s rehearse. FIRE, FIRE, FIRE”

    Tre: “FIRE, FIRE, FIRE”

    Victor: “Tre a new Cineplex 10 is opening at the mall on Weds, let’s go check it out.”

    Tre: “Great idea Tre, you’re smart too.”

    Victor: “Thank you Tre.”

  10. CMH: “Defensive” isn’t a word I would use to describe this article, as I have a responsibility to respond if someone is taking my words out of context, twisting them to fit their own misguided agenda, and labeling me and TheSword “racially insensitive”/racist. Google-bombing my and this site’s name with the word “racist” is what MOC and his sidekick have done, so it was important to have a response published. That being said, they have been playing this game for years now, so this is the one and only time I’ll be acknowledging them and what they do.

  11. So are you racist you don’t find black people attractive? No. Are you a racist if you find only black people attractive and are white? No. Although, the latter might be an attempt on some psychological level to address the issue… I’m not racist, I have sex with black people! or I hate black people, but god I want to fuck that black person!

    There are plenty of known racists who had dalliances/relationships with black members of the household staff, and had children–sometimes racism is a thinly veiled attempt at concealing attraction. Just as homophobia, is a thinly veiled attempt at concealing same sex attraction. Ahem, Strom Thurmond. Ahem, Larry Craig.

    Racism is technically apart of attraction/repulsion but not mutually exclusive to each other–attraction can work both ways.

    I know a few people, Black & White, who are not attracted to anyone outside their race. Its not racism, its preference. Its whats familiar to them. Nothing more, nothing less. Sorry.

  12. The word “racism” and “racist” get thrown around alot, and I can tell from this article and the comments that follow, many are working from the connotation of the word rather than the denotation. So let’s go to the dictionary (Merriam-Webster) for some clarification on the subject.

    Racism : 1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. 2 : racial prejudice or discrimination

    Based on the above definition, is it possible that some element of racism, i.e., “inherent superiority of a particular race” could be inferred when reading a list that proclaims a group of magazine editors’ collective perspective on the best in porn does not include one African-American? I don’t think that’s an unreasonable conclusion. Is it an element that means that (as implied by the picture) the editors are being equated with the kind of people that don sheets and burn crosses? Of course not nor is that necessarily the case every time the word is being used.

    As you’ve stated Zach, racism exists in our society — in all elements of our society. I’ve heard people proclaim that racism can’t exist unless there is a power differential, which I personally think is horseshit and at least Merriam-Webster agrees with me.

    So what’s my point? My point is that if we all stopped being defensive when we do things that may have their roots in racist (go back to the definition) perspectives and just acknowledge the possibility and say we’ll try to do better, I think we’d all be better off. Because, frankly, it’s when the defensive comments come out, like this article, statements are made that are even worse than the original commentary (see the recent Target donation incident for an example of how the defense is even worse than the actual act). Just sayin’.

  13. It’s a shame that MOC Blog has started using the same juvenile tactics as that blogger Tre Xavier. You would think that Victor was smart enough to realize that Xavier’s purview of society is limited to Xavier’s intellectual capacity.

    Inexplicably, Victor has hitched his wagon to Tre Xavier, now he comes off as just a big fool. The next time MOC Blog brings up the race issue, for many people, this Cybersocket non-issue will be the touchstone that reminds them that Victor and his opinions lack complete credibility.

  14. Rhane, of course it’s OK for these couple of guys (that have screamed racism over this CyberSocket list) to express themselves. But it’s just as OK for Zach Sire to defend himself and his reputation. Especially when these very same guys have recklessly twisted his words to fit their superficial logic. Have you read Tre Xavier’s blog? How can anyone take him seriously?

    It’s kind of embarrassing to have a discussion about race based on a jacked up list of porn stars. These two guys have proven themselves to be this weeks Andrew Breitbart of gay porn.

  15. A Man of Color

    An excellent rebuttal. I’m a follower of Zach Sire and of MOC Blog. Zach is a skilled writer… funny, relevant and consistent. I find MOC Blog interesting, but I’m growing tired of the major mis-steps, immaturity and pettiness.

    This whole thing is nothing more than a “tempest in a tea pot” and frankly, I’m shocked that Victor fell for it. Unfortunately, MOC Blog is a follower of that little blogger that screams racism at every turn. One of these days MOC Blog will wake up and realize that the “little blogger” does not have the intellectual capacity of a gnat. Why would he follow someone who, in 40 years, has accomplished absolutely nothing?

    This whole faux controversy demonstrates that anyone can write a blog, but only a gifted few can carry a blog. MOC Blog has offically jumped the shark and in my opinon, has become irrelevant.

  16. As a white man who is attracted to mostly blacks.. I can say that I have began to notice and almost relate to the issues they have. I live in New York City and I cant tell you the last time I’ve seen a black man on the cover of next magazine. I have read the nasty comment people leave when Manhunt post pictures of someone Black.. The mainstream porn industry some times acts if they don’t even exist. Unless they need the stereotypical muscle black man with bad english wild hair to come over for a gang bang scene.

    I think we as white men look at it as them calling us racist I look at it as an opportunity and glance at the situation from their stand point of view. In porn every ethic background has been the focus of the ” It Hot Trend”. One years Latinos are every where, next its all about Israeli, so forth.. However no one ever seem to portray black as sexy…

    How can we ask the world for equal rights when we have some many issues within our community. Look how many cities have started having Black Pride.. Latino Pride.. and then a reg Pride… Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture.

  17. I will stick my dick into anything that is shaped nice and smells good. I am Black. It hurts (seriously) when people say – out of hand that they are simply not attracted to my entire race. They are of course entitled to their opinions and taste. But….ouch.

    Presenting the article about this list and launching immediately into a (racial) defense of it was a bit annoying. I found it irksome. It pissed me off. It seem designed to provoke a response – please don’t get mad that you got a response. AT THE SAME TIME – I have enough familiarity with porn to know that there are a couple asterisks that could be placed on this list

    *sometimes the folks at Cybersocket place folks on this list as favors to their girlfriends – Randy Blue has won awards for some pretty lousy porn.

    *one could argue that the lack of…variety on these lists is due to the lack of popular films developed by individuals who represent the ethnic groups that feel slighted. I watch all types of porn. Some of the black porn I watched is just…fucking terrible. There are white porn studios that produce terrible porn too. There are just more white porn companies in general…so the odds that white performers get more opportunities to shine are just greater

    Oppression creates a dynamic where those oppressed see themselves through the negative lens of their oppressors. For example – lets take gay and straight people. Juila Roberts could do a shitty film…and a gay actor could do a shitty film. There are alot of homos who will still go see Julia’s shitty film because Julia is the norm. I could argue that there are black folk who would agree with this list due in part to the fact that the pretty buff white boy, or skinny white twink is simply the norm.

    Gay mainstream movies are not as successful because only gay people…and not even most gay people are going to seem them. Straight people view gay films as audience specific films. Gay people continue to go see mainstream movies because it’s the norm. We’ve learned to find ways to see ourselves in these films because for a long time we’ve had no choice. Straight folks are the majority and as such, have never really had to “find ways to see themselves”. Never had to….so gay films getting mainstream acceptance (like black gay films) is an uphill battle – even when they are really good.

    Tossing around the word Racist is just as bad as telling people who have a very really experience of racism to shut the fuck up. Very shady.

  18. I don’t understand the outrage. When is calling someone racist worse than actually being racist. You acknowledge that there are problems in hiring and representing black men in the porn industry a couple of times in this post alone but you vilify anyone who has the gall to complain about it. It seems to me that there is a lot of defensive posturing and no constructive or critical thinking.

    Maybe some people just aren’t willing to sit in the back of the bus quietly while the porn industry turns into a whites only section People are entitled to feel upset and want to speak out. And I think the whole argument: “they aren’t racist, they just don’t like black guys” is a little silly. I think it’s time we looked out our racial prejudices more frankly and honestly without vilifying those who say how they feel.

  19. Personally I would prefer that they just say black and not ethnic or men of color, because that just seems to be the issue that he was upset that there were no “men of color” on the list. Because the first three guys on the list are technically ethnic. It is funny how black is the only thing that happens to actually get coined as men of color in the porn industry, but that is just how society is anything else can pass, well unless your asian.

  20. There’s nothin’ like the smell of a burnin’ cross through freshly laundered white linen on a warm Alabama evenin’!

    Seriously, can’t we all just get over this kind of stupid shit?

  21. I don’t like watching “colored men” in pornography. Doesn’t get me off. I’m an anglophile. White men make me hard. I wouldn’t consider myself a racist but my dick certainly is.

    I’m Mexican/Native American by the way.

  22. “there are only like four men of color in porn who I’m currently into”

    Wow, Don’t know if that was intentional or not but you SO just baited them with that line. One of em has GOT to jump on you for that

    Also, don’t feel too bad. Tre went after Jeremy Feist recently for the same thing (“defending” cybersocket) guys literally got nothing else to do.
    Oh and he called him “racially insensitive” too!

  23. I’m black and I read this blog pretty regularly, enjoy the humor and occasional cattiness in the posts. I haven’t read anything that offended me. I am kind of curious who the four men are though LOL

    Tyler Johnson, Johnny Angel (from Randy Blue), Mario Ortiz, Eddie Diaz, Huessein, Scott Alexander and Kamrun are all worth checking out.

  24. Are you voting for Meg Whitman for Governor? Or are you misogynist, too? Or mostly misogynist? You “probably are”.
    Nothing like answering dubious charges of “racism” with your own.

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